Button-hole attachment for sewing-machines



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. 0. BENNETT.

BUTTON HOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

No. 342,418. Patented May 25, 1886.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheer,- 2. E. 0. BENNETT.

BUTTON HOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MAGHINES.

Patented May 25,1886.

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No. 342,418. Patented May 25, 1886.

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E.O.BENNBTT. BUTTON HOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES- Patented May 25, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDW'ARD O. BENNETT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, ASSIGNOR TO EZRA L. HUTOH- INSON AND ALLEN T. AYRES, BOTH OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

BUTTON-HOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

'FCTPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 342,418, dated May 25, 1886.

Application filed April 20, 1885. Serial No. 102,7 (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD O. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county 'of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain Improvements in Button-Hole-WVorking Attachments to SewingMachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to buttonhole-working attachments for sewing-machines, and it has for its object generally the production of a device that can be attached and adjusted to sewing-machines of different kinds, and with the capacity to work several sizes of button-holes. It is designed more particularly for use upon such class of machines as the Howe, Sing er, Domestic, and other manufactures where sufficient space and surface are afforded on the bed and work-supporting surface under the needle-arm, and it is constructed to be readily applied to such machines without cutting or mutilating any part thereof, while it is actuated altogether from the needle-bar of the machine.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the attachment as applied in position for work upon a sewing-machine. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine with the cover removed. Fig. 2 is a top View looking down on the case or box that covers the mechanism. In this view the holding-screw is cutoff at x 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 2 shows the end of the lever that engages with the needle-bar of the machine and is the prime mover of all the mechanism. The needle-bar is cut off at the line a: a; m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the attachment with the cover removed. Fig. 4 is an elevation in transverse section taken through the line 50 m, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end view taken from the left-hand of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a top view ofFig. 3. Fig. 7 is an elevation in section taken l0ngitudinally through the liney y, Fig. 6. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the slide and springs which change the pins in'ihe shaping mechanism. Figs. 8 and 8 are detail views in elevation and planet the work-holder. Figs. 9 and 9 are details in plan and elevation of the slides by which the stepby-step longitudinal and transverse movements are imparted to the workholder. Fig. 10 is a cross-section atyz, Fig. 7, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the same parts as are shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 11 is a cross section at z z, same figure. Fig. 12 is a plan of the clamp-plate and the presser that holds down the fabric immediately about the point of penetration of the needle.

In the drawings, A represents a bed or base plate, with posts a a a, to support and fur= nish bearings for the moving parts.

B is a case or cover fitted over the baseplate to inclose all the mechanism; butthe actuatinglever D and the vibrating work-holder E project through openings in the front. These are the only parts that are not protected by the cover. The lever D works asmall rocking bar, 1, that is centered at 2 in the post a, and has a pawl, 3, loosely attached at 4. to the upper end. The vibration of this rocking bar is produced byan inclined slot, 5, in apiece, g, on theinner side of the lever D, and a stud, 7, on the lower end of the bar engaging this slot. The lever on the downstroke then moves the bar 1 on its center in the direction to draw back the pawl, and on the upstroke the contrary movement presses the pawl forward. The toe of the pawl rests on the ratchet-wheel S on the shaft G, and intermittent rotation in one direction results from the up and down movements of the lever, which, as before stated, are obtained by connecting the outer end of the lever with the needle-bar of the machine. The center of motion of the lever is at D on the shaft G, and it has an offset, D, at the end of the needle-bar, and an adjustable yoke, D, to surround the needle-baratapoint above the needle-clamp screw. This yokeisaforked piece, Figs. 1 and 2", surrounding three sides of the bar, so as to restnpon the needleclamp screw in either of the positions in'which it may be located in different machines. The connection of this piece I) is by a hinge, (Z, to the side of the lever, and it is let up and down by a set-screw, 11 in the top. By this means the end of the lever is adjusted to fit the needlebarofdifferent machines. The downward pressure is given on the lever by the end of the needle-bar, and the lift or upward movement is produced by the needle-clamp screw engaging with the yoke D. The slotted piece 9 is a swivele l box fixed to the lever by the screw 9, and having movement on this screw working button-holes. The work-holder set as a center, so that the slot can be set at greater or less inclination from the vertical. Such capacity of adjustment enables the stroke of the pawl to be kept uniform under conditions where a longer or shorter stroke of the needle-bar may exist, as without such feature of adjustment the difierence in the movement of the lever would cause the stroke of the pawl to vary in different machines. This swiveled box g is set by means of a screw, 6, working through a box, 10, in the top of the lever D, and connected by a balland-socket joint, 12, to the upper end of the box 9. A lockingpawl, 13, is applied to hold the wheel from turning back. Motion is also taken from the lever' D to move the rock-shaft F, from which a clutch, H, on the screw-shaft I, is worked. The rock-shaft is connected with the lever D by the jointed linkf y Figs. 1, 7, and 11. These parts (the screw-shaft and the clutch) constitute the means for producing the forward and backward lengthwise movements of the work holder. The general rotation of the screw-shaftis obtained from the rock-shaft, but the direction of the rotation is changed as the clutch is shifted. This partH consists of the two loosely-turning collars 14 and 15, having theirinner faces notched, one to the right and the other to the left. These collars turn loose on the shaft, but have no longitudinal movement. At the upper part they are connected by the link 18 to the crank 19 on the end of the rock-shaft. The crank-arm 19 is slotted, and the end of the link is fixed in the slot by a bind ing-screw, 20. This permits the crank to be lengthened or shortened, thereby changing the throw of the clutch and laying the stitches closer together or farther apart, as desired. Between these two collars on the shaft l is a sliding clutch, Hflwhich is keyed to the shaft, so as to turn with it, but is also capable of be ing moved over to engage with one or the other of the clutch-collars let 15, and as this clutch has right and left hand clutch-surfaces its movement upon the screw-shaft will lock the shaft to one or the otherof the collars and produce rotation in one direction or the other accordingly.

Shifting movement of the clutch is effected mechanically through mechanism connecting it with the sliding work-holder E, as hereinafter described, by means of which the direction of feed or progression is changed as the end of the button-hole is reached by the stitching mechanism.

The bed-plate has a foot-plate, A, extending forward over the needle-throat plate of the machine and provided with its own throatplate A which part is raised above the general surface of the foot-plate, and has a needle-hole that is set to register with the needle of the sewing-machine. This plate covers the feedpoint of the machine when the attachment is fixed in position under the needle-arm, and therefore the sewing-machine need not be deranged or its parts disturbed to adjust it for over this foot-plate is formed of the plate E and a swinging clamp, Efiwith a locking-cam, 22, to hold down the clamp when the material is placed between it and the plate E. The clamp is a plate with an elongated opening considerably longer and wider than the button-hole to be made and Wider than any but ton-hole that can be worked on the attachment, so as to afford sufficient room for the trans verse movements by which the stitches are laid over the edge of the slit. The rim of the opening has a vertical edge, E, to fit into the Opening of the plate E beneath it, with a fiat projecting fiange,E ,that rests over the top face of the plate when the two parts are brought together. that bends or turns the fabric when placed between the two plates, so that the fabric is both firmly held and at the same time slightly stretched, so as to spread and hold open the slit that is previously cut in the fabric. The form of these edges is seen in Figs. 7 and 8.

The plate E, as before stated, receives longitudinal movement from the screw Land the fabric is carried forward lengthwise of the slit and under the needle step by step. The other movements of the plate are transverse ones to lay the stitches from the edge of the slit backward the required length, and these are produced by a sliding plate, K, in which the plate E or worlcholder is mounted. This slide has a dovetailed way composed ofguides k 75, within which the plate E is set in such way that it slides freely in a longitudinal direction through the guide as the screw-shaft acts upon the nut on the rear end of the plate; but the slide K receives vibrating movement in the race or slotted way. 23 in the stationary bedplate, so that the general progressive move ments of the work-holding plate are qualified, and it also vibrates from side to side of the center during its step-by step movement lengthwise. This movement of the slide Kis obtained from the wave-cam G on the shaft G, and a lever, 24, that is pivoted to the bed at 25. One end of the lever carries a stud, 26, to engage the groove of the cam, and the opposite end is slotted and has an adjustable stud, 27, which takes into an elongated slot in plate M near one end. By moving and setting this stud to or from the center of vibration of the lever the length of movement of the slide is changed accordingly, and a longer or shorter stitch is obtained.

The form of the groove in the cam determines the character of the stitch, and by giving it the required shape to produce the vibrations in a certain given order with respect to the longitudinal movement, the stitches can be laid either parallel to one another or in a zigzag order, and the character of the edge of the button-hole is also regulated by the times of the vibrations with respect to the progression, so that a pearled or knotted edge can be produced by shaping the groove to give the required rest and throw to the lever. Thus These parts form a clamping-edge 1 ton-hole.

the cam can be shaped to produce one stitch to each longitudinal step of the work-holder, or two stitches in theslit to one'in the fabric. so that parallel stitches can be laid instead of zigzag stitches. The clamp E is connected to the plate E by arms E", having motion at both joints, E so that the clamp is brought down parallel with the plate E beneath it.

Upon the rear end of the sliding plate E, and in a recess, 28, is a shaper-plate, L. which controls the form and changes the character of the two co-acting longitudinal, and transverse movements in such manner as to form the eye and the rounded end of the butand as a part of the mechanism to change the lateral movement'of the sliding plate as the 5 end of the buttonhole is reached, there is employed an over-sliding plate, M, set over and moving with the plate K, and receiving vibration from the same lever,and carrying upon its top face two movable guide-pins, '29 and 30. These pins are attached at the heads to a rocker-bar, 31, that is mounted on a center in a post, 32, on the plate M, and their other ends project through holes in the plate to enterthegrooves ll in the shaperplate L. These pins are forced alternately into the grooves by the movement of the rocker-bar,and as one or the other ofthe pins is depressed the plate E receives at the beginning and the termination of the longitudinal movement as the end of the button-hole is reached by the needle a curvilinear motion corresponding to the shape of the groove in the shaper plate. One groove is used to form the one half and the other groove the other half or side of the buttonholeyand the two grooves together give the In conjunction with this shaper,

complete circular or rounded form to the en ls.

The rocker-bar is moved at such time that as l the end of the one groove is reached by its pin the rocker-bar is thrown over to raise up that pin and force down the other. Both the length of these shaper-grooves and the time of movement of the pins are made adjustable, in order to adapt the mechanism to produce different sizes of button'holes, and thus give I the attach mentthe desired ca acity; and therefore to regulate the shaping-grooves to the length of button-hole to be made, as well as to enable button-holes either with orwithouteyes to be formed, the shaper-plate is composed of two end blocks, 33 and 34, with the curved terminals of the grooves Z l cut in them, and a number of intermediate removable blocks, 35, of equal width, each with a portion of the straight slot across each end. The end block, 33, has a tongue, 36, into which a bindingscrew, 37, takes from the under side through a slot, 38, in the plate E, so that the block is set up and fixed to clamp all the sections in place within the plate E. The number of the intermediate sections determines the length of the button-hole, and they are removed orinserted at the beginning of operations according to the size of button-hole to be made; but the end blocks remain, except in cases where no eye is to be formed, when at such adjustment the block 34 will be removed, and one with a reduced curve similar in form to that of the block 33 will be used. The curvature of this groove will be such as is required to form a rounded end without an eye; but instead of making the shaper-plate in pieces, as shown, it will be obvious that the grooves can be formed in a single piece, and to change the size oft-he button-hole several different grooveplates can be provided for insertion into the recess of the sliding plate. The two slidebars 39 and 40 rest on top of the stationary cross-piece A of the bed-plate, and are connected together both at the front and rear ends by the cross-bars 41 and 42, the whole forming a sliding frame. The rear cross-bar lies in front of the traveling nut J at the rear end of the \\Olk-hl(l(3l, and the front bar extends downward in front of the bed-plate cross-piece A so that its edge is close to the surface of the moving work-holder beneath. On this frame are two plate-springs, 43 44, one fixed at the end to the bar 40 at the front bar, 41,

and having its free end carried backward and beneath the end of the rocker-bar at that side of the center post, 32, and the other spring, 44, fixed in similar manner to the bar 39, but in reverse position, with its free end carried forward and under the rocker-bar at the other side of the center. The outer end of each spring has an offset or lateral projection, 45, to engage with a fixed incline, of which one, 46, is set against the side of the post a to catch the spring 44, and the other one, 47, is set in position upon the bed-plate for the other spring, 43.

The operation of these springs is as follows: In the movement of the work-holder E the traveling nut on the screw-shaft, as the forward movement takes place, is pressed against and caused to move forward the frame 39 40 4142. This draws down and depresses the spring 43 by the engagement of the projecting end with the inclined track 47 until at the termination of the forward movement the point of the spring passes from under the lower end of the incline and is allowed to recoil. The force of the reaction is snfiicient to throw up that end of the rocker bar and draw the pin 30 up out of the groove in the shaperplate, and at the same time the other pin, 29, is forced into the other groove. Vhen the contrary or backward movement of the workholder takes place, the front bar, 41, is struck by the projecting stop 48 on the sliding plate E, and the frame is pressed back with the same effect upon the oppositely-set spring 44, to draw it down and then canseit to pass from under the incline 46 and recoil against the rocker-bar. Thepin atthat side isthen thrown out and the first pin forced in again. The stop 48 is fixed on the adjustable block 36, so that in moving and setting this part forward or back to regulate the length of the shapinggrooves for the size of the button-hole to be made the position of the stop is changed accordingly, and it is set to strike the crossbar I that the surface of the fabric will be held down 41 at a point earlier or later in the longitudinal movement of the sliding plate. The two stops J and 48 therefore act through the medium of the sliding frame and the springs to change the position of the pins in the groove L, and the form of these grooves determines the shape of the buttonhole. It is required also to reverse the feed-screw I at the time when the one pin is withdrawn and the other is forced into its groove, which is the movement when the pin in action has reached the curved end of the groove. For this purpose the sliding clutch of the screw-shaft is connected through the mechanism seen in Figs. 3 and 4 with the rocker-bar 31, and as this part moves upon its center the clutch is shifted and the rotation of the screwshaft is changed accordingly. The sliding clutch YEP is connected by a lever, 50, with the end of a swinging arm, 51, that depends from the shaft G and has a hub, 52, that surrounds and turns on the shaft between the confining-collars 53, and from this hub a connecting-rod, 54, extends forward and is attached at the outer end to the extremity of the rocker-bar 81 at one side. The rise and fall of this rocker-bar then turns the hub at each movement and throws the clutch-operating lever 50 to one side or the other, according to the direction of movement of the hub.

In placing the attachment upon a machine it is necessary to fix it firmly in position with reference to the needle and needle-hole of the machine, and for this purpose I have produced a novel fastening device consisting of a hold ing-screw, P, having one end pointed or so shaped as to bear against the under side of the fixed arm or gooseneek of the machine, and with the threaded end set in a threaded socket in a shifting-block, Q, on the top of the frame of the attachment. The screw is provided with a milled head, P and by turning it out of the block when the point is placed under the fixed arm the bed-plate of the attachment is pressed down against the sewing-machine bed-plate and firmly held by the pressure obtained. The shifting-block Q is set in a transverse slot, 55, so that it can be moved to one side or the other, and thus bring the screw directly in line with the arm. This enables the position of the holdingscrew to be changed as required for the particular kind of machine to which the attachment is to be applied. Figs. 1 and 2 show the construction and application of this holding device. WVhere a cover would not be used, however, the block Q would be mounted on a cross-bar or plate provided for the purpose upon or formed as a part of the top of the attachment.

Upon the vibrating work-holder, and within the slot wherethe needle passes and the stitches are laid, I apply a small presser bar or piece having an aperture for the needle and its thread to work through, and possessing also sufficient stiffness as well as a certain elasticity or yielding character, so that the fabric can be readily inserted under it, and when so placed immediately around the point of penetration and retraction of the needle. This presser is not mounted on the work-holder directly, because it is required to remain in line at the needle during all the movements of the workholder, and it has therefore no longitudinal movement; but it vibrates transversely with the clamp-plate in the movements that lay the stitches. This movement is obtained by fixing the end of the presser-bar to the slide M. The presser, as shown in Figs. 3, 6, 7, and 12, is simply a stiff wire, S, with a loop, 3*, formed flatwise at the end, and bent in a downward curve to bring this loop against the fabric that is placed in the holder between the clamp and the lower plate.

In all cases where button-holes are worked on fabrics after the slit is cut, and even in button-hole attachments where the work is done before cutting, it will be found that the application and use of this presser to prevent the fabric rising with the needle will produce a more evenly-laid buttonhole, and will insure regularity of form.

In many button-hole attachments and mechanis'ms the edges of the openingin the clampplate do not come close enough to the line of the needle, and the fabric is consequently drawn up as the needle retracts and the stitch is tightened, so that there is considerable disturbance of the work and an irregular line of stitches results from such action. This is prevented by placing the presser S within the slot of the clamp-plate.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, anddesire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In abutton-hole-working attachment, the combination, with the frame containing the working mechanism, of the clamping-screw P, and a laterally-adjustable slide upon which it is mounted, substantially as described.

2. In a button-hole worker, the combination, with the sliding work-carrier E E and the screw-shaft I,working through a nut on the carrier, of the rock-shaft F, means for operat-' ing it, and the clutch mechanism, by which connection with the rock-shaft F is made to produce intermittent rotation of the shaft, and means, substantially as described,whereby the action of the said clutch can be reversed automatically, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the sliding work-carrier E E screw-shaft I, clutch H H and clutch mechanism connecting the same with the rock-shaft F, the laterally-sliding plate K, the cam G and lever 24, and mechanism whereby the plate K is connected with the cam-lever, the vibratinglever D,and the pawl-. and-ratchet mechanism, by which rotation of the cam is produced from the movements of the vibrating lever, as set forth.

4. The combination of the vibrating lever D, cam-carrying shaft G, pawl and ratchet, rocker-bar 1, swiveling boxg,with slot 5, rockshaft F, jointedlinkf 9*, and arm 19, having IIO connection through link 18 with the clutch H, as described.

5. In a button-hole attachment, the combination, with Work-holding devices and con nections thereto, of the rocker-bar 1, carrying pawl 3, of the vibrating lever D,having the swiveling box 9, with slot adapted to engage the pin 7 of the rocker-bar, and the set-scrcw,as a means of setting and holding the box, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combinatiomwith the sliding workholder E E of the screw-shaft I, shift-ingclutch H H connecting said screw-shaft with the rock-shaft F, the lever 50, and the mechanism connecting said lever with the rocking bar 31, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the sliding Work-holder E, having longitudinal progression step by step, the laterally-sliding plate K, the oversliding plate M, carrying the pins 29 30, the shaper-plate provided with grooves Z l in the Worlrholder, and mechanism, substantialy as described, connected with said pins and operated by or from the longitudinal movements cf the work-ho1der, substantially as described,

to force one pin into its groove and draw the other pin out of its groove at each end of the said longitudiniil movement, for the purpose set forth.

8. Thecombination of thesliding work-holder E E, the screw-shaft I, and mechanism, substantially as described, by which it receives intermittent rotation, the laterally sliding plate K, over-sliding plate M, rocker-bar 31, mechanism, as described, for connecting it with the clutch, pins 2930, shaper-plate L, the sliding frame with springs 43 44, the fixed inclines 46 47, and the stops J and 48, applied for operation substantially as herein described, and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination,with the work-holding device, of the shaper-plate L, composed of the end blocks, and the intermediate blocks grooved as described for insertion into a seat or recess in the work holding plate, and means, substantially as described, for clamping them together, as set forth.

EDWD. O. BENNETT. [1,. s] Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OSBORN, LAMARTINE OS'BORN. 

